麻州北京中文學校慶新春 麻州參眾議員都到賀

左起，舒士百利鎮鎮議員Beth Casavant, 學校委員會委員Jason Palitsch，聖約翰高中
財務長Lynne Cronin，麻州北京中文學校校長徐衛初，麻州眾議員Hannah Kane，
麻州參議員Michael Moore。(麻州北京中文學校提供)

                 (Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導) 座落在麻州屋斯特市(Worcester)、舒士百利市(Shrewsbury)的麻州北京中文學校，今年的慶祝農曆新春，不但有4名麻州議員出席，頒給表揚狀，分別在推特，臉書上誇讚，連地方上的英文報張都大篇幅報導，盛況空前。

麻州北京中文學校校長徐衛初和該校師生拜年。

            麻州北京中文學校校長徐衛初表示，今年有共有800多人參加這場盛會，包括聖約翰高中，舒士百利公校，以及Bancroft等三所學校，有200多名學中文的美國學生加入慶祝農曆新春行列，他們的家人紛紛在社交網路上分享子女的表演，大幅度的促進了中西文化交流，才是該校最感驕傲的地方。

            二年前，麻州北京中文學校慶祝20週年，承諾分三年共捐25,000元給舒士百利公共圖書館，去年再捐了5,000元給舒士百利公校設立每年500元，共十年的中文獎學金，

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            麻州北京中文學校今年宣傳新春慶祝的海報也很特別，彷如大門的兩旁寫著對聯”今年犬守夜國泰民安，去年雞司晨風調雨順”，頂上橫幅一句”春回大地”，儼然中國傳統人家，歡迎新春來到。

            當天的表演節目共有22項之多，在醒獅鬧新春，嘉賓致詞的開場後，上半場表演有2個合唱，4個舞蹈，8個歌舞，再加上詩朗誦，笛子獨奏，小提琴與鋼琴合奏，三句半，藝術體操，太極劍32式。

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               表演在張黎獨唱”我愛你中國”聲中落幕後，麻州北京中文學校還安排了發紅包，和功夫熊貓合影的活動，會場一直充滿著年節熱鬧氣氛

。

麻州北京中文學校捐款給舒士百利公共圖書館。

            

羅州克蘭斯頓市獲選為羅州最佳居住城市

CRANSTON, RI— CRANSTON, RI—Citing the city’s strong economy and low crime rate, Cranston was recently named “the best city to live in Rhode Island” by the editors 24/7 Wall Street.

Cranston “has one of the strongest economies in the state and the country,” according to the report, which analyzed home values, employment data, poverty rates and crime rates to select the most livable cities in all 50 states.

Just 6 percent of Cranston residents live in poverty—less than half of Rhode Island’s 12.8 percent poverty rate and much lower than the national rate of 14 percent, according to 24/7 Wall Street.

Cranston is also “safer than its neighboring cities,” with a violent crime rate of 153 per 100,000 people much lower than the state rate of 239 incidents per 100,000, according to the report. Property crimes are also much lower than the national rate, with 1,862 per 100,000 in Cranston as compared to 2,451 per 100,000 nationally.

This isn’t the first time Cranston has attracted national attention for the quality of life enjoyed by its residents. The city was named a Best City to Live in America by 24/7 Wall Street for three years in a row beginning in 2014.

“I’m extremely pleased that Cranston has once again received national attention for being a great place to live and work,” Commented Mayor Allan W. Fung. “Over the past nine years, my administration has worked hard to improve the city’s finances, create an attractive business climate and enhance the services we provide our residents. And the results speak for themselves. We have a healthy rainy day fund, our bond ratings are the highest in decades and we’re investing in our infrastructure, including schools, parks and roads.”

REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES CLERK SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN IDENTITY THEFT SCHEME

REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES CLERK SENTENCED

FOR ROLE IN IDENTITY THEFT SCHEME

BOSTON – A Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles clerk was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for her role in a scheme to produce false identification documents. 

David Brimage, 46, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to eight months in prison and two years of supervised release. In October 2017, Brimage and co-conspirators Evelyn Medina, 56; Annette Gracia, 37, both of Boston; Kimberly Jordan, 33, of Randolph; and Bivian Yohanny Brea, 41, of Boston, agreed to plead guilty to one count of producing without lawful authority an identification document or a false identification document. All of the defendants have now been sentenced.   

“The conduct in this case was egregious.  We will always hold accountable those who violate the public trust,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “While these defendants tried to profit by thwarting legal safeguards they were entrusted with enforcing, the crime was more than that – the defendants engaged in a scheme that made U.S. identity documents – and accompanying benefits – available to illegal immigrants who were not entitled to them.”

“Today’s sentencing highlights the HSI Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force’s continued vigilance against corruption schemes that damage the trust the public places in our government intuitions” said Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations Boston office. “This case is another excellent example of federal, state and local cooperation to combat this criminal enterprise.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message: Diplomatic Security is committed to making sure that those who commit identity theft face consequences for their criminal actions,” said William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service.  “Diplomatic Security’s strong relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”

In December 2017, Angel Miguel Beltre Tejada, 32, a Dominican national illegally residing in Jamaica Plain, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft. Tejada will also be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. In January 2018, Medina and Gracia were sentenced to 15 months in prison and one year and one day in prison, respectively. In February 2018, Jordan was also sentenced to eight months in prison and Brea was sentenced to six months of home confinement and three years of supervised release.

In October 2015, law enforcement received an anonymous letter alleging that a corrupt RMV employee was providing Massachusetts identifications and drivers’ licenses to individuals who were using false identifications.  An investigation revealed that several Haymarket RMV clerks – Medina, Gracia, Jordan, and Brimage – were working with Brea and Tejada to fraudulently provide Massachusetts licenses and identification cards to illegal aliens for cash.  

The scheme involved several steps. Tejada and Brea would obtain identification documents belonging to United States citizens in Puerto Rico and sell them to clients who were seeking legitimate identities in Massachusetts. These clients included illegal aliens, individuals who were previously deported, and an individual who admitted to previously facing drug charges. Tejada would receive several hundred dollars in cash each time he sold identification documents.  Brea received up to $2,700 per identity for her role in the scheme, which included helping clients obtain the documents and facilitating their acquisition of Massachusetts identity documents.  

Typically, Brea and the client brought the stolen identities to the Haymarket RMV, where Medina, Gracia, Jordan, and/or Brimage would accept hundreds of dollars in cash to illegally issue authentic RMV documents, including Massachusetts licenses and ID cards. The clerks also accepted bribes to use the RMV’s system to run queries, including Social Security number audits, to confirm that the identities the clients were stealing actually belonged to verifiable individuals.

U.S. Attorney Lelling, HSI Acting SAC Shea, DSS SAC Gannon, and Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement.  HSI’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the cases.

AARP基金會即日起至4月17日免費報稅

AARP基金會即日起至4月17日免費報稅

AARP FOUNDATION TAX-AIDE AVAILABLE

NOW THROUGH APRIL 17

免費稅務協助項目50年來超過5,000萬人受惠

Free tax preparation service celebrates 50 years and 50 million served

【華盛頓哥倫比亞特區2018年2月13日訊】—從即日起至2018年4月17日，AARP基金會將再次通過旗下的“Tax-Aide計劃”提供免費稅務協助及報稅服務。AARP基金會Tax-Aide計劃至今已有50年歷史，是全國最大型的免費稅務協助和報稅服務。此項目成立至今，已經使得超過5,000萬人受惠。

Tax-Aide計劃成立於1968年，當時只有一個報稅站及四名義工。但時至今日，這個項目已經發展到擁有接近35,000名義工，以及5,000個報稅站遍佈全國各個社區的圖書館、商場、銀行、社區中心和老人中心，服務低收入及中低收入納稅人。Tax-Aide計劃不單免費，而且無論是否AARP樂齡會會員都能參加。部份報稅站更提供語言翻譯服務。

“許多人面對報稅問題，難免暈頭轉向。AARP基金會除了提供免費的報稅服務，一些報稅站更有普通話、廣東話、越南語、韓語、菲律賓語等的其他語言協助。” 已在AARP基金會Tax-Aide計劃服務超過 10年的義工Rose Chu說： “能夠幫助那些有困難的人們處理複雜的報稅問題，使他們解開愁眉，是我年復一年擔任義工的動力。”

AARP基金會 Tax-Aide義工 Rose Chu為民眾提供免費稅務協助超過 10年。

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteer Rose Chu has been providing free tax help for 10 years.

Tax-Aide計劃的義工俱經過培訓，而且每年獲國稅局認證以確保他們擁有最新的稅務條例知識。在2017年，該計劃協助多達250萬人次處理複雜的稅務問題，確保他們在申報聯邦與州稅時獲得應得的扺稅額和免稅額。納稅人通過Tax-Aide計劃合共獲取了13.7億元所得稅退稅，以及超過2億2200萬元 “工作所得抵稅” （Earned Income Tax Credit ，簡稱EITC）。他們還無須支付報稅費用，以及避免借用高息抵稅額或退稅貸款。

“50年以來，Tax-Aide計劃幫助了數以百萬計低收入及中低收入納稅人免費報稅。 ” AARP樂齡會多元文化領導部門亞太裔受眾副總裁郭為婉（Daphne Kwok）說： “如果你需要瞭解最新的稅務規定，或者需要其他語言幫助，AARP的免費報稅和稅務建議是一個很好的資源。”

如欲尋找AARP基金會Tax-Aide報稅站地點或瞭解其他訊息，例如必須攜帶之報稅文件，請瀏覽網站：aarpfoundation.org/taxaide 或致電1-888-AARPNOW（1-888-227-7669）查詢。Tax-Aide計劃是AARP基金會與國稅局共同執行項目之一。

WASHINGTON, DC, February 13, 2018 — Now through April 17, AARP Foundation is providing free tax assistance and preparation through its Tax-Aide program. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, celebrating its 50th year, is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service. Since its inception, the program has served more than 50 million taxpayers.

Tax-Aide started in 1968 with just four volunteers working at one site. Today, nearly 35,000 volunteers serve low- to moderate-income taxpayers at 5,000 locations in neighborhood libraries, malls, banks, community centers and senior centers nationwide. There’s no fee, and AARP membership is not required. Some locations offer assistance in additional languages.

“People may be confused about how to file their taxes. AARP offers free tax filing and some of the sites have tax counselors who speak Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog or other languages," said Rose Chu who has served as a volunteer tax counselor with AARP Foundation Tax-Aide for 10 years. “The knowledge that I've aided those who would have otherwise had a difficult time is why I continue to volunteer year after year.”

Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified each year to ensure they know about and understand the latest changes to the U.S. Tax Code. In 2017, the program’s volunteers helped 2.5 million people navigate complicated tax codes, ensure proper credits and deductions, and file their federal and state tax returns. Taxpayers who used Tax-Aide received $1.37 billion in income tax refunds and more than $222 million in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs). They also avoided tax preparation fees and pitches for high-interest tax credit or refund loans.

“Tax-Aide has helped millions of low- and moderate-income taxpayers for 50 years,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy. “If you need assistance figuring out the new tax rules or if you need help in another language, take advantage of free preparation and advice from AARP.”

To find an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site or more information, including which documents to bring to the tax site, visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669). AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS.

羅德島大學孔子學院慶新春促中西文化交流

羅德島大學孔子學院院長何文潮(後左六)與主持人，表演者謝幕。

(Boston Orange )羅德島大學孔子學2月11日在該校艾華茲(Edwards)禮堂舉辦狗年新春慶祝會，與校內師生，當地居民在濃濃的中國農曆年氣氛中歡度一晚。

六名中文領航項目學生當主持人。

當天下午，陸續到場的當地居民，一進會場大廳就被場內的各種中國傳統文化活動吸引了，紛紛練起書法，打起中國結，親手試做充滿童趣的摺紙，還一邊品嘗著蔥油餅、年糕、沙其瑪等中國小吃，聊起中國美食，談論中國文化

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晚上的盛會郵羅德島大學中文領航項目的鄒隆，董幸晴，戴書靈，常栩幽，沈西湖，貝科寧等六名學生主持。羅德島大學孔子學院院長何文潮先做開幕講話後，羅德島大學校長杜里(David Dooley)，副教務長鮑威斯(Laura Beauvais)，文理學院院長瑞利(Jen Riley)都一一致詞，分別指出這春晚是羅德島大學中文領航項目學生展示語言天分，表演才華的晚會，為中西文化交流做了貢獻，該校孔子學院對漢語教學很有幫助。

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晚會的表演由羅德島大學華人俱樂部的”給我感覺”拉開序幕，接著由紐約中華歌舞團一場接一場的精采表演，把晚會氣氛推向高潮，無論是男聲獨唱”家和萬事興”，”歡聚一堂”，舞蹈表演的”敦煌彩綢”，”孔雀舞”，四川茶藝的”長壺茶藝”，由東北笑星揉和歌曲，相聲，中國軟功的”新年快樂”，中國川劇藝術經典的”變臉”，旗袍秀的”茉莉花”，在國際上得過大獎的魔術表演，都讓觀眾看得十分投入，頻頻報以掌聲。

晚會表演最後在扇子舞”映山紅”中拉下帷幕，一片紅豔鮮花帶出的紅火氣氛，彷彿預祝著所有人新的一年，欣欣向榮。(文稿內容資料及照片，萬潔華提供)

賴銘琪將任外交部非政府組織國際事務會執行長 徐佑典來接波士頓處長

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪甫於2月9日接獲派令，將於今年五月中調返台北，接替翁瑛敏，出任外交部非政府組織國際事務會執行長。

        (Boston Orange)駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處今(2月12)日下午5點10分發出新聞稿，進一步說明，波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪五月奉調返台後，將接任非政府國際組織事務會執行長，波士頓的遺缺已定由外交部北美司副司長徐佑典接任。

         以下為波士頓經文處新聞稿

        駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處賴銘琪處長已於日前接獲外交部派令，預訂本(107)年4月5日奉調返國，遺缺將由外交部北美司副司長徐佑典接任。

        賴處長表示，過去3年多任期內，曾邀請47位州參、眾議員，7位聯邦參、眾議員選區主任，19位州政府官員、120位學者及學生訪問臺灣。接待來自臺灣174個訪團，超過1,000人次到訪波士頓，其中包括2015年馬前總統以中華民國首位現任總統身分訪問波士頓。此外，大波士頓地區僑胞每年都舉辦多項活動慶祝中華民國國慶，包括華埠牌樓及商家懸掛中美國旗、千人大遊行暨升旗典禮、國慶書畫展、國慶壘球賽，以及近600人的全僑餐會等，賴處長對新英格蘭地區僑民熱愛中華民國，以實際行動表達支持，深表感動。

        賴處長返國後將接任外交部非政府組織國際事務會執行長。即將接任之副司長徐佑典曾任北美司科員，駐美國代表處三等秘書及二等秘書，北美司科長，駐美國代表處一等秘書及副參事，嫻熟北美地區業務，其豐富經驗將有助繼續提升臺灣與新英格蘭地區之各項交流與合作。

世界台灣商會總會訪波士頓推動台灣企業辦理登錄

右起，波克萊台灣商會財政郭競儒，世台商總會總會長林貴香，波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪，雲雯蓁夫婦，波士頓僑務委員蔣宗壬，史美芳夫婦，新英格蘭台灣商會前會長蔡明機，現任會長歐陽露。(波克萊台商會提供)

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪鼓勵台商登錄。(周菊子攝)

                 (Boston Orange 周菊子尼登市報導) 世界台商聯合總會的「台灣相關企業登錄服務 – 美國篇」推動之旅，2月11日來到大波士頓，預定4月30日截止登錄，6月上旬開始可供查詢，將來繼續登錄非洲篇，亞洲篇。

               世界台商聯合總會總會長林貴香率秘書長林鋕銘等團隊成員，為推動台灣相關企業登錄，早從今年一月起，已陸續拜訪華府，檀香山(Honolulu)，芝加哥，紐約。波士頓是第五站，由波克萊台灣商會顧問游勝雄與郭競儒等人接待，前會長蘇鴻昌主持。

波克萊台灣商會顧問游勝雄(右起)，世界台灣商會總會總會長林貴香，
波士頓經文處副處長陳銘俊合影。(周菊子攝)

               甫於9日接獲派令，預定五月調返台北，出任外交部非政府組織國際事務會執行長的駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪，特地在玉園設宴歡迎。副處長陳銘俊，波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉都出席做陪。

               賴銘琪指出，去年台灣是美國的第十大貿易夥伴，美國是台灣的第二大貿易夥伴，雙邊貿易額約達660億元，為美國創造了32萬多個就業機會。台商在麻州也投資了8億5000萬元，同時台灣也是麻州在亞洲的第五大出口市場，可見台灣對美國，對麻州的經濟貢獻極大，如果有個台灣相關企業登錄數據，相信一定可以增加台灣在美國的影響力。

會議由波克萊台商會前會長蘇鴻昌(左一)主持，介紹世台會秘書長林鋕銘(右一)。(周菊子攝)

               林貴香表示，推動台灣相關企業登錄是十分有意義的事，一旦整理出一份大數據，不但台灣相關企業可以更容易的互助合作，將來美國政府等諮詢時，台灣人也都可以拿出實在數據，顯示台灣真正的影響力。她希望在自己任內完成美國篇登錄，待下屆世台總商會總會長由非洲，亞洲接掌後，可以陸續辦理非洲篇及亞洲篇。

左起，波克萊台商會財政郭競儒，世台商總會總會長林貴香，波士頓僑務委員
蔣宗壬，Terason董事長史美芳，新英格蘭台灣商會會長歐陽露。(周菊子攝)

               她指出，剛提出這構想時，許多台商紛紛甩手擰頭，表示近年來詐騙事件層出不窮，安全堪慮，但她要說明，這個登錄不索取個人社安號碼等個人資料，只要姓名，行業別，州別，員工人數等，最主要的作用是建立專業人才數據庫，給台灣相關企業一個更容易聯繫，互助的平台。

               林貴香還舉了個1945年猶太人來美，靠口耳相傳，一個拉一個，建立起猶太人社區的故事為例，指出台灣人也可以這麼做，只是在網路時代，就可以請大家自行上網登記。

波克萊台灣商會顧問游勝雄(左)做補充說明。旁為波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉。(周菊子攝)

               當天在會上，林鋕銘還用幻燈片介紹了一遍登錄程序，說明只要是由台灣人，或父母，祖父母來自台灣的第二代，第三代台灣人，在美國創辦，或佔有10%以上股份的企業，都可以登記。台灣人的僑團也可以登記。他指出，這些資料將來可供企業查詢各自產業的相關成果，可供政府機關擬定未來政策，供智庫研究商業趨勢，加強台灣企業互助，台美經貿往來等等。

           辦理線上登錄可上網

現場提問。(周菊子攝)

http://survey.wtcc.org.tw。臉書www.facebook.com/wtccbizsurvey。查詳情可發電郵wtccusasurvey@gmail.com             

           

            

              

            

              

16州總檢察官反對人口調查增加公民身分問題

AG HEALEY WARNS ADDING CITIZENSHIP QUESTION WOULD JEOPARDIZE ACCURACY OF 2020 CENSUS AND UNDERCOUNT MASSACHUSETTS POPULATIONCo-authors Multistate Letter to Census Bureau Urging Rejection of DOJ’s Request

            BOSTON – Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey today urged the U.S. Bureau of the Census to reject a request by the U.S. Department of Justice to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 census, warning that undercounting the population would undermine states’ rights and threaten billions of dollars in critical federal funding.

The multistate letter, sent today to the U.S. Department of Commerce, was co-authored by AG Healey, New York AG Eric T. Schneiderman, and California AG Xavier Becerra and joined by 16 other attorneys general and the state of Colorado. The attorneys general caution that adding a citizenship question would dramatically reduce participation and disproportionately harm states and cities with large immigrant communities.

According to the letter, this request would also jeopardize critical federal funding states and cities need to provide health insurance, public education funding, food assistance, housing opportunities, energy assistance, and other services and support for millions of residents, regardless of citizenship status. 

“The census is supposed to count everyone. This request by the Trump Administration will result in an undercount of the Massachusetts population and threatens federal funding for our state and our cities,” said AG Healey. “It also threatens states’ fair representation in government and I urge the Census Bureau to reject this reckless request.”

State level experts with experience coordinating the administration of the census, including Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, share the concerns of the attorneys general.

“This is a clear case of politicization of the Census by the Trump Administration,” said Secretary Galvin. “Adding the proposed citizenship question to the survey would result in an undercount of immigrants in states like Massachusetts, where one out of every six residents is foreign-born. Along with recent moves by the Census Bureau to undercount college students, this change would shortchange Massachusetts in federal funding, and could reduce our representation in both Congress and in the Electoral College.”

On December 12, 2017, the Justice Department requested that a citizenship question be added to the 2020 census form sent to every household in the nation, even though the census is supposed to count all persons—citizens and non-citizens alike. The Justice Department argued that the collection of such information was necessary to ensure proper enforcement of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Yet as the attorneys general explain in today’s letter, this proposal would have precisely the opposite effect by driving down participation in immigrant communities—a concern that is even more acute in today’s political climate.

To the extent that the Voting Rights Act requires a calculation of the number of eligible voters in a given jurisdiction, the Census Bureau already provides an adequate—and far less intrusive—source of citizenship information based on sampling, including the American Community Survey.

The attorneys general write that a population undercount would jeopardize the Census Bureau’s ability to determine how many people are in each state, threatening states’ fair representation in government, including in Congress and in the Electoral College.

A population undercount would deprive states of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funds that are allocated in part on census data, including funding for education, housing, and infrastructure nationwide. Federal funding also supports essential public programs including Medicaid and SNAP benefits and thus, this proposal would limit funds designed to support some of the most vulnerable populations in each state, including low-income communities, the elderly, and children—regardless of citizenship.

            In the letter, the attorneys general also point out that this request from the Department of Justice is very late in the process, as the Census Bureau must finalize their final questions by the end of March. That does not leave time for the Bureau to vet or test a citizenship question, which increases the risk of error and heightens the chance of an undercount in states.

            The attorneys general of Massachusetts, New York, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the Governor of Colorado, signed on totoday’s letter. This matter was handled in Massachusetts by Assistant Attorney General Mercy Cover of AG Healey’s Consumer Protection Division and Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau Chief Jonathan Miller.

MACA criticizes Trump's budget cutting community service grant

Statement from Joe Diamond, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, In Response to Proposed Federal Budget Blueprint

Boston, Mass. (February 12, 2018) - “The budget proposed by the Trump administration is a cruel one, especially in light of the new tax law that in almost every way favors the rich. President Trump’s budget adds insult to injury by eliminating the very programs that have helped millions of people leave poverty. 

Cutting the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) program will not only adversely affect thousands of residents of Massachusetts, but will also remove millions of dollars from communities across the Commonwealth. It will devastate vulnerable individuals, families, and seniors while also weakening communities as a whole.

Similarly, eliminating the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and weatherization programs (WAP) will hurt low income families struggling through winters in New England. This will cause people to have to make terrible choices between heating, eating, food, clothes, and medicine, and will create a public health hazard in cities and towns across Massachusetts.

The economy currently does not work for everyone, and until it does, programs like fuel assistance, CSBG, and WAP are critical.  The President’s budget eviscerates the social safety net, the very programs that are necessary to counter the effects of his tax package.  Community Action Agencies are on the front lines, and we see the struggles that low income families face. We very much appreciate the tireless work of our congressional delegation who continue their efforts to protect the programs that help hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Massachusetts residents living with low incomes become economically stable and mobile.”

麻州民主黨要求擴大調查賭博委員會

Petition Launched Calling for Expansion of Gaming Commission Probe, Public Hearing

Evidence that Steve Wynn used the RGA to funnel campaign contributions to Baker, in direct violation of Massachusetts gaming law

BOSTON – Following Massachusetts Gaming Commission Executive Director Ed Bedrosian’s refusal to investigate reports that Steve Wynn violated Section 46 of the Massachusetts gaming statute, the Massachusetts Democratic Party today announced a petition demanding that the Gaming Commissioners overrule Bedrosian and immediately include Wynn’s illegal donations to Governor Baking in their ongoing probe.

In 2014, Wynn funneled $2 million dollars through the Republican Governor’s Association to Baker’s campaign. Wynn Resorts was an active applicant for a gaming license at the time and therefore prohibited from making a direct or indirect donation to any candidate in Massachusetts.

 “These campaign contributions are a clear violation of our casino gaming law, and it is undoubtedly the Gaming Commission’s responsibility to investigate them,” said Jim Roosevelt, legal counsel for the Massachusetts Democratic Party. “If we want the Massachusetts gaming industry to have any integrity, the Commission must leave no stone unturned in their investigation of Wynn Resorts. Their failure to do so is evidence of Governor Baker’s undue influence over what was meant to be an independent Commission.”

The petition reads:

“Steve Wynn and Governor Charlie Baker have repeatedly concealed financial information from the public and state authorities. The Wall Street Journal reports that Steve Wynn used the RGA to funnel campaign contributions to Baker’s campaign, in direct violation of Massachusetts gaming law. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission must investigate Wynn’s financial support of Baker, and hold a public hearing as part of their investigation into Wynn Resorts.”

哈佛大學選出新校長 Lawrence S. Bacow

Lawrence S. Bacow。 (圖片取自臉書)

Harvard Corporation member Lawrence S. Bacow will serve as the University’s 29th president, members of the presidential search committee announced Sunday afternoon, ending a seven month-long search he initially helped conduct.Bacow, 66, formerly served as the president of Tufts University and the chancellor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

哈佛大學校長搜尋委員會在2月11日中午宣佈，經過七個多月的尋尋覓覓後，選出Lawrence S. Bacow為該校第29位校長。Bacow今年66歲，之前曾擔任塔芙茨大學及麻省理工學院校長。他將於今年7月1日正式就任。哈佛校刊已就此發表文稿，https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/2/12/bacow-to-serve-as-29th/。